Once upon a time, ahem, last week, Ryan and I hopped on an airplane with our princess-obsessed 4-year-old to take her first trip to Disney World with her Gigi and Papa. Our trip, in short, was everything you would expect it to be – a welcome break from the icy-cold weather, a magical experience, and a minefield of tantrums waiting to happen. But most of all, (meltdowns aside), it was a privilege watching the magic through Josie’s eyes.

One moment in particular took me by surprise. I expected to feel giddy watching her meet Princess Rapunzel, and I did. I knew I’d be proud of her adventurous spirit as she took on her first roller coaster, and I was. But I didn’t expect to feel challenged by the moment that made her come alive, and I just can’t stop thinking about it.

Man alive…what a place. Disney sure knows how to do it up big time. If you’re unfamiliar with this, a fairy godmother transforms little girls into their favorite princesses for a rather large chunk of change (thanks Gigi and Papa!) But it wasn’t the hair, the makeup, or the pixie dust that made Josie come alive – it was standing in the mirror taking in her new, princessed appearance. I wish I could describe this moment to you in such perfect detail that you would understand the magnitude of the moment for us both.

Something changed in her countenance, in her posture, in her spirit as she stared and smiled at the Cinderella-dress-wearing girl in the mirror. It was like she knew that’s who she was meant to be all along. This beautiful princess -- adored, cherished, and so unbelievably loved -- that she stepped into it with such grace. Not a spoiled brat, but one who saw her own worth in the mirror, and then channeled that identity as she waved to passing babies and told her stories to adults in line.

Women, mothers: We were meant to feel this way all the time. We were created to be captivating! Not because of our fancy dresses, our makeup, or outward appearance at all. But because of the uniqueness and creativity that God Himself poured out when He gave us life in the first place. And if you’re anything like me – sort of hot mess-ish, mildly scatter-brained, trying to do the best that I can without losing my mind too often – you may not really remember the last time you walked into a room ready to captivate.

But here’s what I know to be true. We were created to be captivating – breathtaking – and beautiful! We were meant to make our mark on our worlds and leave a legacy of love and grace. In the chaos of raising those babies, it’s super easy to forget that. It’s entirely too easy to lose our identity in our children, allowing their accomplishments and failures, their futures and their plans to become who we are. But your world needs YOU. The most captivating, confident, graceful YOU.

It doesn’t just happen, though. It takes work, consistency, and lots of punching fear in the face. If you’re a mother who’s already trying to juggle it all and wouldn’t even know where to start, I’ve got a couple ideas:

Chase JOY: You’ll need to figure out what brings you even the smallest moments of joy in your days and fight for those. It could be as simple as drinking hot coffee from a real mug or hitting the gym for a quick workout. But whatever it is for you, find it and chase it down consistently! (Action step: Download this FREE Self-Guide for some practical ideas to make self-care a reality.)

Understand your WORTH: You were created on purpose and for a purpose. Your life matters, inside and outside of your family. When you take steps to get to know yourself and God better, you will be able to see yourself more clearly and bring what only you can bring to the world. (Action step: Register for Spiritual DNA, an online course and live workshop that helps you move from feeling insignificant to really understanding your worth, and join other Mothers of the Year in Indianapolis on May 4th for the next live event.)

Fight FEAR: Oh that pesky fear. The more you take steps to grow into who you were born to be, the more you’ll be faced with fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of not measuring up. But you’ll also be more equipped to replace those fearful lies with the truth. (Action step: Use the What’s True About You Journal to get into the practice of replacing lies with the truth.)

I believe if we make these steps, we may as well put on our glass slippers and head to the castle! My hope for you (and for myself too) is that you are so full of confidence and peace that you do captivate every single room you enter. That you discover your uniqueness and bring that into every interaction you have. That you quit hiding behind your kids, your schedule, or your fear. Show up, mama. We need you out there. And we need you dressed for the ball!